Summary: Jake and Abigail are siblings who are always on the move. Abigail is in 3rd grade, and thinks that her brother is a pain. Jake is in first grade, and calls his sister the Great One because she thinks she is better than him. In this book, Abigail and Jake embark on a series of adventures with their family. These adventures include a trip to the beach with Grandma, to the county fair with Aunt Diana, to the mall with Dad where Jake gets lost, to Grandpa's house in the Florida Everglades, and the the emergency room after Jake gets a pussy willow stuck up his nose. These hilarious stories are sure to capture the attention of both children and adults.

Genre Critique: This is a good example of a realistic fiction, because the setting, characters, and events are all believable. The story is told from the perspectives of both Jake and Abigail, giving the reader insight into the thoughts and feelings of these two siblings. The story is believable, because it is common for families to go on trips together and for siblings to compete for attention. The story accurately portrays thoughts and actions of 1st and 3rd grade children. Students will be able to relate to the idea of loving their siblings or friends, even when they can get on your nerves.

This would be a great novel for any elementary student. I'm sure they could all relate to this book in one way or another. It was nice to see that even though the brother and sister couldn't stand each other at times they still loved and cared about each other. I enjoyed reading about all of their excursions they went on. These two children seem to have an interesting life. ( )

Wikipedia in English (2)

THE PAIN AND the Great One are going places! In these new stories the kids are on the go—the Pain needs a trip to the emergency room; the family goes to the mall and not everyone stays together; the kids visit a county fair and want to ride the Super Slide; and a beach outing includes a boogie board. Lots more action and adventure for the dynamic duo who never stay still.

Further adventures of first-grader Jake "the Pain" and his sister, third-grader Abigail "the Great One," include a trip to the beach with Grandma, to a county fair with Aunt Diana, and to a mall with Dad.